THE PUBLIC MIND: AMERICAN GOVERNMENT ABANDONED MIAs

To the Editor:

It's been almost 20 years since the Vietnam War ended in 1973, but an issue that has never ended is whether or not our government knowingly abandoned American POWs/MIAs held in Vietnam and Laos.

Over the years, stories and photos have surfaced indicating American servicemen are still being held captive by the communists. Recently, more reports appeared on TV and in the newspapers.

Families of POWs/MIAs have formed organizations to pressure the government into accounting for their relatives. Veterans groups have done the same. So how has the government responded? By doing as little as possible, or, in many documented cases, pressuring these groups to back off.

There's no doubt in my mind that POWs and live MIAs, hundreds of them, were left behind in Vietnam and Laos. And some of these men are still alive.

Several years ago I read a book called "A Nation Betrayed." It was written by Col. James "Bo" Gritz. Gritz was the most decorated Green Beret commander of the Vietnam era. He is the real-life person on whom the Rambo movies are based.

In his book, Gritz chronicles his nine-year search for POWS. Working for govemment agencies, he and his commando teams made many trips into the Asian jungles seeking evidence of "sightings." He believes Americans are there. He also believes the CIA intervened and destroyed the missions whenever he "got too close."

This sham has been going on far too long. It is disgraceful that Americans are still being used as rice paddy slaves, and that the government has, for political reasons, chosen to ignore them.

Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger left them there. Every president and secretary of state since has looked the other way. So far, the only ones to return have done so in the movies, thanks to Rambo and Chuck Norris.

Jim Obert

Ellington